Well pipe elevator



Aug. 14, 1951 c. A. LUNDEEN ETAL WELL PIPE ELEVATQR Filed Dec. 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TORS CHESTER A. LUNDEEN ROBERT T. TODD Aug. 14, 1951 c. A. LUNDEEN EIAL 2,563,851

WELL PIPE ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 2, 1 946 INVENTORS 5 5 aaiiw 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1951 c. A. LUNDEEN ETAL 2,563,351

WELL PIPE ELEVATOR s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 2, 1946- 74 a 52 1' I'l I I I" E 5 (WI 63 2| I r 1 i ,1 6| I 1' I I I I l I I 'f I r I" H I I I 1 INVENTORS CHESTER A. LUNDEEN ROBERT T. TODD Y Patented Aug. 14, 1951 7 Robert T. Todd, Houston, Tex, assignors to Byron Jackson 00., Vernon, Califl, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationDecember 2, 1946, Serial No. 713,476.

This invention relates to Well pipe elevators, andparticularly to elevators for supporting and handling Well casing and tubing of the type having joints formed integrally with the pipe and ofyonly slightly greater diameter than the pipe. Ifhe tapered upset joining the joint to the pipe is necessarily of short length and forms only a slight angle, on the order of to 8 degrees, with the pipe axis; Such an upset is insufficient to serve as a. shoulder for supporting the pipe.

It is customary to handle long and heavy strings of well casing and tubing by elevators having toothed slips which engage the pipe 0. short distance below the coupling. Elevators of this type either require manual setting of the slipsor are-provided with means engageable with the square shoulder of a conventional coupling for automatically setting the slips a short distance below the coupling. Manual setting of the slips. is inconvenient inasmuch as when the slips are to beset the elevator is suspended up in the well derrick approximately. the full length of a section of casing; Slip setting means adapted* for engagement with the square shoulder of a conventionalcoupling are not suitable for the instant purpose.

A general object of: this invention is to provide a well pipe elevator of'the slip type=incorporating means engageable with a steep upset adjacent the joint for setting the slips.

A further object islto provide slip setting means which, upon engagement with the upset, will yield sufficiently to avoid suspending the pipe by the upset. Preferably the force required to cause the slip setting means to yield is. only slightly greater than that required to move the slips downwardly, against the action of? their supporting springs, into pipe gripping position.

A further object is to provide slip setting means which is reliable and durable, and which does not unduly increase the size of the elevator.

Other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment and several modifications;

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is atop plan View of an elevatorembodying a preferred form of slip setting means with a portion cut away substantially on. the line I'.I,, of Figure 3;

Figure2 is a front elevation ,of theelevator;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line III-.III of Figure 1, showing a slip in, retracted position;

Figure 3 is a View similar toFigurefibut show-- Claims. (01. 24--263) 2 ing the slip in gripping pin V Figure 4 is a top plan View of an elevator em.- bodying. a modification of the slip setting means;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the slip in set position; and

Figures 6- and 7 are sectional views correspond ing to. Figure 5 and showing other modifications of the slip setting means.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 a preferred form of elevator comprises a pair of semicircular body sections I and 2, hingedly connected at their rear sides at 3 and having latch means, generally designated l, for releasably latching the sections together about a pipe. The construction of the body sections and latch are in all essential respects similar to that disclosed in C. A. Lundeen Patent No. 2,257,120, dated September 30, 1941, to which reference may be had for a more detailed description of the latch. The elevator of the aforementioned patent is adapted. for use with pipe having joints of considerably greater diameter than the pipe and having a tapered upset extending at an angle of about 18 with the pipe axis. This upset is suificient to, serve as a supporting shoulder, and the central opening in. the; elevator is accordingly provided with a tapered seat to reoeivethe upset.

In the instant case the pipecannot be supported by the upset because of its slight angularity with the pipe. axis. Instead, each body section of the elevator is recessed to provide a downwardly tapered bowl 6. Slips l, 8, 9 and I0 are mounted within the recess for movement between a raised, inactive position shown in Figure 3 and a lower, pipe-gripping position shown in Figure 3?. Each slip: is retained in sliding engagement with the tapered bowl 6 by a retaining bolt ll, theinner end of which is secured by welding or otherwise in a socket in theslip, the outer end extending through a vertically elongated slot, l2. in theelevator body. A nut .13. on the outer end of the, boltoverlies a boss on the body surrounding the slot to retain the slip in position (see Figure 2). The inner face of each slip may be provided with pipe gripping means of any desired form. In the present instance three toothed or knurled inserts M are mounted in vertical. dovetailed slotsin the face of the slip, and are retained by a. transverse key 15 overlying the upper ends of the inserts and retained in a transverse dovetailed groove in the slip. Each slip is normally held. in itsraised, inactive, position by engagement with the 3 a compression spring I6 mounted within a recess II in the body outwardly of the bowl 6 and interposed between the base of the recess and the bolt The spring exerts an upward force on the slip only slightly greater than the weight of the slip, so that slight downward pressure will move the slip downwardly and inwardly into gripping engagement with the pipe,

The type of pipe for which this elevator is especially adapted is shown in Figures 3 and 3 the steeply tapered upset between the pipe and the joint being shown at 2|. In order to set the slips automatically so that they grip the pipe just below the upset as the elevator is raised after being latched about the pipe, means are provided above the gripping portion of each slip for engagement with the tapered upset to arest further upward movement of the slips as the elevator continues to move upwardly. It is essential that the settling means be yieldable upon application of a predetermined relatively small downward force in order that no appreciable portion of the weight of the string of pipe be supported by the upset. Several alternative yieldable setting means are shown in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7. p

Referring to Figures 3 and 3 a block or strip 22 of resilient material such as neoprene or the like is mounted in a transverse dovetailed groove 23 in each slip. As shown most clearly in Figure 1, the groove 23 extends the full width of the slip to permit insertion of the strip 22 thereinto from one side. The strips may conveniently be cut from a straight strip of the desired trapezoidal cross section, and, when flexed from their normally straight form to conform to the curvatureof the groove 23, the tendency to straighten out will exert sufficient frictional engagement with the walls of the groove to retain them in place without otherretaining means.

It will be noted that the inner face of the slip above the inserts I4 is tapered to conform to the taper of the upset 2| on the pipe, and that the inner face of the resilient strip 22 is similarly tapered in order to afford full surface contact of the strip with the upset. From a comparison ,of Figures 3 and 3 it will be apparent that upon arresting the upward movement of the slips by engagement of the strips 22 with the upset 2|,

the slips are forced inwardly by continued upward movement of the elevator body. In order to permit this inward movement of the slips, the resilient strip is deformed approximately as shown in Figure 3 A relief groove 24 is provided at the outer side of the strip to permit the strip to bulge outwardly. If preferred, the strip 22 could be provided with one or more internal recesses or pockets to permit the desired amount'of displacement of the inner face.

The elevator body is provided with upper and lower inwardly extending ribs 25 and 26. The

upper rib 25 is bored to a diameter only slightly larger than that of the pipe joint 20, and the lower rib 26 is bored to a slightly greater diameterthan that of the pipe. Inasmuch as the upper rib 25 is opposite the joint 20 when the resilient strip 22 contacts the upset, the two ribs adequately center the elevator on the pipe prior to setting of the slips. It will be noted with reference to Figure 3 that the inner faces of both theinserts Hi and the strips 22 are disposed radially outwardly of the inner periphery of the lower rib 26 when the slips are in their raised position. and hence there is no possibility of either the inserts M or the strips 22 dragging 4 on the pipe and causing premature setting of the slips. An adjusting screw 27! is threaded through the upper rib 25 to adjustably limit the upward movement of the slips under the influence of the springs it when the elevator is removed from the pipe.

In order to adapt the same elevator body to use with interchangeable slips which fit smaller sizes of pipe, a groove 28 is formed in each lower rib 26 to receive guide plates which extend inwardly into close proximity to the smaller pipe. Similar guide plates may also be mounted on the upper surface of the upper rib 25 and held in place by the lock nuts 29 for the adjusting screws 21.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the elevator body is in all essential respects similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 and comprises pivotally connected sections 29 and 3G. The slips and the slip setting means are, however, different in form but embody the same principle of automatic setting. In this instance each slip Sl (Figure 5) is provided with a'central longitudinal slot 32 to accommodate a guide pin .33 rigidly mounted in the elevator body. A compression spring 34 surrounds the guide pin and bears against the lower face of the slip to urge it upwardly into inactive position. .The elevator body sections 29 and 35 are provided with a downwardly tapered surface 35 with which a similarly tapered surface 36 on each slip has wedging engagement when the slips are set. Above the tapered surface 35 the recess in the'body is tapered upwardly at 31; for a purpose which will be presently described.

In this embodiment of the invention the slip setting means is in the form of an auxiliary slip 38 mounted within a recess in the upper portion of each slip 3| and vertically slotted at 39 to accommodate the guide pin 33. The inner face of the auxiliary slip is tapered downwardly to conform to the taper of the upset 2| on the pipe, and as shown it is provided with serrations to aid in gripping the upset. The bottom wall 40 of the recess in the slip is inclined downwardly and inwardly at an angle of about 45, and is engaged by a similarly inclined lower surface H on the auxiliary slip. A relatively stiff compression spring 42 is interposed between a shoulder 43 on the auxiliary slip and the upper wall 44 of the recess in the slip. The spring 42 thus urges the auxiliary slip downwardly and radially inwardly relative to the main slip 3|.

As in the previously described form of the invention, the spring 34 exerts an upward force only slightly greater than the weight of the slip. The spring 42, on the other hand, is sufficiently stiff to resist the pressure normally required to set the slips. Its function is to permit the auxiliary slip to move upwardly and outwardly relative to the main slip as the latter moves into gripping position, and to limit to a small amount that portion of the weight of the string of pipe which can be transmitted to the elevator through the upset 2|. It will be noted that only a slight clearance at 46 is provided between the outer surface of the auxiliary slip and the upwardly and inwardly tapered surface 31 on the body. This provides a safeguard against the possibility of the auxiliary slip moving upwardly and outwardly a sufficient distance to permit it to clear the upset 2| and allow the tool joint 29 to pass through the elevator in the event the main slips should become stuck in their raised position.-

The mode of operation of this form of the invention will be'apparent'from a comparisonof Figures and 5?. As the elevator is raised along the pipe and the auxiliary slips 3S engage the pipe upset 2!, further upward movement of the main slips is stopped. Upon continued upward movement of the elevator body, the springs 34 are compressed and the tapered wedge surfaces 35 and 36 force the slips 3| inwardly into gripping engagement with the pipe. Inward movement of the auxiliary slips is restrained by their engagement with the upset 2|, and they are therefore constrained to move upwardly and outwardly relative to the main slips along the inclined surfaces 48, into the position indicated in Figure 5 In the form on the invention shown in Figure 6, auxiliary slips 5% having inner, serrated surfaces tapered to conform to the taper of the pipe upset are employed, as in Figure 5. In this instance each auxiliary slip is mounted within a recess in a housing 5! separate from the main slip 52 and being supported thereabove by lugs 53 engaging the upper surface of the slip. The

housing 5| is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the elevator body and is provided with a downwardly tapered surface 54 engaged by a similarly tapered outer surface on the auxiliary slip 59. A relatively stiff spring 55 urges the auxiliary slip downwardly in the housing recess, and is yieldable to permit the auxiliary slip to move upwardly and outwardly as the main slip is moved into gripping position.

Figure 7 illustrates another form of slip setting means which in several respects is generally similar to that shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment of the invention a cylindrical bore is formed in the upper portion of each slip 8|, with its axis extending normal to the tapered, upset 2! on the pipe. A plunger is mounted for limited sliding movement in the bore, its outward movement being limited by a screw 63 threaded into the upper portion of the slip and engaging a groove 64 in the plunger. The plunger is urged toward the pipe by a resilient member 65, herein shown as a hollow cylinder of rubber, neoprene or the like, although it will be obvious that a helical compression spring would serve the same purpose. The resilient member 5 possesses sufficient rigidity to cause engagement of the plunger with the pipe upset 2i to set the slip 6!, but will yield to permit the required retraction of the plunger into its bore as the slip moves into gripping engagement with the pipe.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe hav ing a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore therein; tapered sectional slips mounted within said bore and yieldably urged to pipe disengaging position; slip setting members movably mounted in said body and arranged, upon movement thereof, to move said slips along said bore into pipe engaging position; said slip setting members having upset-engaging portions; means on said body to hold said portions spaced from said pipe at such distance that they are engageable only with a tapered upset to produce slip setting movement thereof; the said upset-engaging portions of said slip setting members being yieldably movable outwardly relative to said slips in a direction inclined at an oblique angle to the axis of the pipe whereby to limit the portion of the weight of the pipe carried by the upset.

2. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means to hold said portions spaced from said pipe includes a lower flange extending radially inwardly in close proximity to the pipe and said upset-engaging surfaces define a circle of greater diameter than said flange but of lesser diameter than the upset portion of said pipe.

3. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the combination includes a spring yieldably resisting movement of said slip-setting members relative to said slips.

4. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slip setting members slope in con formity to the taper of the upset portion of the pipe, are engageable therewith and thereupon move relative to the slips, and wherein the combination includes a spring yieldingly resisting said relative movement.

5. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slip-setting members are movable relative to said slips in a direction having a vertical component, and wherein the combination includes a spring yieldingly resisting such relative movement.

6. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slip-setting members comprise yieldably urged plungers mounted in the slips for movement in a direction normal to the tapered upset of the pipe.

7. .ei well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slip-setting members are bodies of yieldable material set in said slips.

8. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slip-setting members are metallic members having gripping teeth adapted to con form to the upset portion of said and in.- clude tapered surfaces adapted for sliding cooporation with said slips and wherein the combination includes a spring urging said slip-setting members against the upset portion of said pipe.

9. A well pipe elevator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the combination includes: housings movable relative to said body and engageable with said slips having tapered inner surfaces, each slip setting member being carried within a l1ous ing and having a tapered surface cooperating with said tapered housing surface, and springs urging said slip-setting members against said tapered housing surfaces.

16. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore, yieldably supported sectional slips mounted within said bore and having tapered surfaces cooperating with said tapered bore; and slip-setting members carried by said slips and having surfaces engageable with the upset on the pipe to slide said slips relative to said body to gripping engagement with the pipe below the upset, means normally holding said surfaces spaced from the pipe, said slip -setting members being yieldable relative to the slips in a direction in" clined at an oblique angle to the axis of the pipe whereby to limit the portion of the weight of the pipe which is carried by the upset.

11. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore, yieldably supported sectional inour=- ed within said bore and having tapered surfaces cooperating with said tapered bore, each of said slips, having a recess in its upper portion; and slip-setting members mounted in said recesses and having surfaces engageable with the upset 7 on the pipe to slide said slips relative to said body to gripping engagement with the pipe below the upset, means normally holding said surfaces spaced from the pipe, said slip-setting members being yieldable relative to the slips in a direction inclined at an oblique angle to the axis of the pipe whereby to limit the portion of the weight a of the pipe which is carried by the upset.

12. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore, yieldably supported sectional slips mounted within said bore and having tapered surfaces cooperating With said tapered bore, each of said slips having an arcuate groove above its pipegripping portion; and slip-setting members each comprising a body of resilient material fitted in said grooves and having surfaces engageable with the upset on the pipe to slide said slips relative to said body to gripping engagement with the pipe below the upset, means normally holding said surfaces spaced from the pipe, the said surfaces of said slip-setting members being yieldable relative to the slips in a direction inclined at an oblique 'angle to the axis of the pipe whereby to limit the portion of the Weight of the pipe which is carried. by the upset.

13. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore, yieldably supported sectional slips mounted within said bore and having tapered surfaces cooperating with said tapered bore, each of said slips having an arcuate groove above its pipegripping portion; and slip-setting members each comprising a normally straight strip of resilient material bent into conformity with said grooves and held therein by frictional engagement with the walls thereof and having surfaces engageable with the upset on the pipe to slide said slips relative to said body to gripping engagement with the pipe below the upset, means normally holding said surfaces spaced from the pipe, the said surfaces of said slip-setting members being yieldable relative to the slips in a direction inclined at an oblique angle to the axis of the pipe whereby to limit the portion of the weight of the pipe which is carried by the upset.

14. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore therein; tapered sectional slips mounted within said bore and yieldably urged to pipe disengaging position; slip setting members movably mounted in said body and arranged, upon movement thereof, to move said slips along said bore into pipe engaging position; said slip setting members having upset-engaging portions; means on said body to hold said portions spaced from said pipe at such distance that they are engageable only with a tapered upset to produce slip setting movement thereof; the said upset-engaging portions of said slip setting members being yieldably movable outwardly and downwardly relative to said slips whereby to limit the portion of the weight of the pipecarried by the upset.

15. A well pipe elevator for use with pipe having a downwardly tapered upset adjacent a joint, comprising: a body having a downwardly tapered bore therein; tapered sectional slips mounted within said bore and yieldably urged to pipe disengaging position; slip setting members movably mounted in said body and arranged, upon movement thereof, to move said slips along said bore into pipe engaging position; said slip setting members having upset-engaging portions; means on said body to hold said portions spaced from said pipe at such distance that they are engageable only with a tapered upset to produce slip setting movement thereof; the said upset-engaging portions of said slip setting members being yieldably movable relative to said slips in a direction substantially normal to the surface of said tapered upset whereby to limit the portion of the weight of the pipe carried by the upset.

CHESTER, A. LUNDEEN. ROBERT T. TODD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 730,233 Chickering June 9, 1903 1,664,461 Montgomery Apr. 3, 1929 1,693,478 Davis Nov. 27, 1928 1,868,119 Segelhorst July 19, 1932 1,883,073 Stone Oct. 18, 1932 1,920,617 Young et al. Aug. 1, 1933 1,929,826 Reynolds Oct. 10, 1933 2,048,209 Young et al. July 21, 1936 2,085,237 Todd June 29, 1937 2,109,493 Lundeen Mar. 1, 1938 2,207,203 Lundeen July 9, 1940 2,301,625 Johnson Nov. 10, 1942 2,410,589 Segelhorst Nov. 5, 1946 

